Vietnam veterans to be honored in Framingham

FRAMINGHAM — A retired major general will visit Framingham Sunday to help recognize local veterans who served during the Vietnam War era.

The MetroWest Regional Transit Authority will host its second Vietnam Veteran Commemorative Lapel Pinning Ceremony at 2 p.m. on July 2. All veterans who served from 1955-1975 are encouraged to attend and be recognized.

The ceremony will take place beside the MetroWest Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which is located in front of the MWRTA’s headquarters at 15 Blandin Ave.

The memorial, dedicated in November 2016, features a 9-foot statue of an American soldier and the names of fallen soldiers from the area.

Major General Peter M. Aylward, former special assistant to the chief of the National Guard Bureau, will be on hand to distribute commemorative pins. Aylward has spearheaded the Guard’s nationwide initiative to recognize Vietnam vets.

MWRTA Administrator Ed Carr said the organization's first pinning ceremony last year drew 78 participants. For many, it was an opportunity to be recognized in a way they weren’t when they returned from the war, Carr said.

"It really opened the door for a lot of guys that served their country,” he said, adding, “A lot of guys were embracing this recognition."

Carr said he was encouraged by the National Guard to host a second pinning event and decided the weekend before the Fourth of July was fitting.

"What I hope it does for the community is allow them to recognize that back in the '60s, when we were going through a cultural revolution, that there were certain people who served their country that were not totally appreciated for that service,” Carr said.

Aylward, who held a range of high-level posts during his career, will be joined by Assistant Adjutant General Frank Magurn, from the Massachusetts Army National Guard. Magurn also spoke at the unveiling of the MWRTA memorial last year.

Veterans who wish to participate in Sunday’s ceremony are asked to bring a copy of their DD Form 214 discharge papers. For more information, contact Ed Carr at 508-935-2222.

Jim Haddadin can be reached at 617-863-7144 or jhaddadin@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter: @JimHaddadin